Envoys, business leaders to speak on Commonwealth countries’ potentials

Chris Campbell, Fernando González N.. File

Santo Domingo.- Five ambassadors, three officials of the export sector and two presidents of chambers of commerce will be panelists and moderators in the “First Potential Economic and Trade Seminar offered by the 53 countries of the Commonwealth to the Dominican Republic,” which will take effect the next 12 of this month, with the assistance of representatives of the public and private sectors.

The activity will take place from 8:30 in the morning, in the Yarey salon of the Sheratón hotel, and will begin with opening remarks by Fernando González Nicolás, president of the Roundtable of Commonwealth Countries in the Dominican Republic; Marius De León, executive director of the Dominican Republic Exports and Investment Center, CEI-RD, and Rafael Paz, executive director of the National Competitiveness Council.

In the first panel, “Great Britain a historic and positive business partner of the Dominican Republic” will be the central speaker Chris Campbell, Ambassador of Great Britain; moderated by José Rodríguez, past president of the British Chamber of Commerce, and as panelists Leonel Melo, current president of that organization; Alejandro Flores, manager of Pernod Ricard Dominicana, and Salvador Estévez, president of Grupo Banamiel.

While Shauna Hemingway, ambassador of Canada, will speak on “Canada an important partner of the Dominican Republic” moderated by Eduardo Domínguez Imbert, past president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and will be its panelists Gustavo de Hostos, president of that Chamber of Commerce and Simón Suarez, vice president of Grupo Punta Cana.

Moreover, Nigerian ambassador, Janet Olisa, will speak on “Nigeria a potential partner in Africa for the Dominican Republic” moderated by Norman De Castro, president of the Friends of South Africa Society and consul of that country, with the panelists, ambassador Juan Guiliani Cury and José María Cabral, secretary of the Roundtable of the Commonwealth.

A final panel will address “Malaysia, a potential partner in Asia for the Dominican Republic” with Roslan Abdul Raham, Malaysia’s ambassador, moderated by Fernando González Nicolás, honorary consul of Malaysia, and as panelist Luis González, director of Asian affairs of the Foreign Ministry.

“The organizers of this seminar highlighted the importance of this seminar, as the countries of the Commonwealth together are the largest foreign investors in the Dominican Republic and the main destinations of Dominican exports,” Gonzalez Nicolas said.